June 26, 2017

"If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; If you are depressed, it will cheer you; If you are excited, it will calm you.”

William Ewart Gladstone

There’s no denying that the UK has been sweltering in above average temperatures for the past couple of weeks, and whilst the sting seems to have been taken out of the sunshine a little, it’s still pretty warm outside.

Now, I’m of the same school of thought as William Ewart Gladstone – tea is the key, whatever the weather, and I absolutely can’t go without a hot brew even on the warmest of days. But for some, the psychology behind drinking something steaming when it’s hot enough to scald a lizard is just ridiculous. Is a hot cup of tea really going to cool you down on a hot day? Well, science says yes! Studies from the University of Ottawa show a correlation between drink hot drinks, increased perspiration and overall decrease in body temperature, but this is a blog concerned with deliciousness so I won’t delve into that here – but if you’re that interested, follow this link!

Thankfully, tea is just as delicious brewed cold, or served iced, as is hot, meaning you can still enjoy your favourite caffeinated beverage in an attempt to cool you down.

There are two main ways to enjoy cold tea – iced, or coldbrew, and I’m going to share some of our favourite recipes to help you stay cool this Summer.

Our first, is made as an iced tea, and features our new chai belnd, Salted Caramel.

SALTED CARAMEL ICED CHAI LATTE

Per serving:

10g salted caramel black tea

150ml milk

1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey

Brew the 10g of tea in around 100ml of freshly boiled water for around 5 minutes. This will produce a very strong and short brew.

Strain the spent leaves away from the liquor, and then stir in the brown sugar or honey. This needs to be done whilst the tea is hot so the sugar dissolves.